THE SCHOOL BELL
Williston Schools /April 28, 2021
A Message from the Administration
Staff Appreciation Week May 3-7
By Jacqueline Parks, WCS Principal
Next week is Staff Appreciation Week and I wish I had a magic wand to create and do something spectacular for our educators. Over and over in the past year, I have watched our educators step-up and go above and beyond to support our students. While this is a norm in Williston, the challenges of COVID have created situations and problems to solve like we have never encountered before in my 30-years in education. Whether it was driving materials to student homes, providing and distributing meals, supporting mental health needs, regrouping students for contact tracing needs, moving classrooms to meet distancing guidelines, directing traffic, taking temperatures, creating technology friendly lessons, assisting families with getting to COVID testing sites and so much more. I can’t tell you the number of times we have called our educators with a “all hands on deck” message and each and every time I watch the plan being enacted with perseverance, grit, patience and love.
So, next week is Staff Appreciation Week and there remain limitations to what we can do to show our appreciation and gratitude for their incredible work on behalf of students. I will offer some ideas below on behalf of the leadership team that we have brainstormed, but please feel free to be creative with your ideas too!
Monday: Honor an educator with a flower. An outline of a flower is included for you to print out for your child to color. Brainstorm a few staff members that your child feels an extra connection with and write their names on the flower. We’ll collect these and create a display for our staff to enjoy.
Tuesday: Write an appreciation note to a staff member. Use your own paper or print out the template we included with the School Bell.
Thursday: Wear your school color to show your appreciation for the staff. For ABS the colors are black and yellow and for WCS they are blue and gold.
Friday: You and/or your students can complete a Staff Appreciation Flipgrid using these links.
Thanks for helping us make staff appreciation week feel special!
Mr. Rene Sanchez Hired as the Champlain Valley School District Superintendent
Kid’s Heart Challenge – Grades 1 and 2
Click here for more information and the permission slip
or email permission to Lyn Porter at lporter@cvsdvt.org
Date correction: registration deadline is April 30.
Virtual film screening of Angst
Thursday, May 6, 2021 - 6:30 – 8:00 pm
A documentary film about mental health and anxiety including candid interviews with teens about anxiety, tools that help, and hope.
Screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q & A - Free and Open to the Public
The event is free but registration for the Zoom webinar is required here or visit howardcenter.org
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health challenge in the U.S., impacting 54 percent of females and 46 percent of males, with age seven being the median age of onset, according to the World Health Organization.
"Everybody needs to know that anxiety disorders are real, common and treatable instead of viewing them as a personal choice or something to be ashamed of,” said Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Director of Anxiety Disorders Center, Child Mind Institute. “Getting help early is crucial in giving people the tools they need to feel better. We just need to start the conversation."
More information about the movie, the trailer and resources can be found at:
ParentIN Resource
If you have a child who is experiencing anxiety, depression or other social and emotional challenges, Amy will be on hand to offer her support and guidance and be armed with useful resources in the community if you need/want them.
You can pop in for a quick question or to chat through a situation. Amy would love to try to help! Here is the link to join: meet.google.com/qvq-nwzz-hfm
ABS Reading is an Investment Logs Due
Saturday, May 1st is the deadline for the annual (optional!) Reading is an Investment college savings prize drawing.
All our ABS kids heard these 3 books during library lessons or could listen online.
Logs were sent home in January, and can also be printed at this link:
https://sites.google.com/cvsdvt.org/abs-library/reading-is-an-investmentALA Libraries Transforming Communities Grant
In the fall, the grant will fund distribution of Brave Books Bags to all second-grade students at Allen Brook School. Each bag will include picture books and chapter books by BIPOC authors as well as a handout with conversation starters and resources to spark discussion at home. As a follow-up to the distribution of these bags, virtual book chats including affinity groups will be offered, led by librarians and members of the school district’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. This project begins at the start of our 2021-2022 school year for incoming second graders.
All ABS Library books due by May 28th!
Be Tick Smart
Here is a link from the Vermont Department of Health that is full of good information about ticks for you and your child. Please always contact your pediatrician if you find a tick and what to do with it and for your child after removal.
Hello Rad Jazz Cats, Epic Humans, and Snickerdoodles!
The ABS Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Committee is supporting staff and students in the use of gender-neutral language. In the Williston Schools, we believe that it is important to use language that is both inclusive and affirmative. In calling a group of students "boys and girls" or "guys," we are speaking to them based on assumed gender identity. In many instances, we may not know an individual's gender identity nor the gender identity of everyone in the group. Our goal is to be increasingly mindful about the words we choose when addressing groups of people, especially our students. See below for examples of some inclusive language featured on our "Bee Inclusive" bulletin board.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, and INCLUSION
From our Williston Schools Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coaches, Cara Clopton and Ryan Batche:
In the Williston Schools we believe that the work for racial equity and justice needs to be ongoing and continuous and cannot be limited to individual lessons or actions during a particular time of the school year. We offer these resources for families and caregivers to support the engagement in conversations about racial equity in your homes.
TED Talks to Build Awareness:
Let's stop talking about diversity and start working towards equity
Do you have a child who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2021?
Kindergarten Registration for Fall, 2021 is underway at Allen Brook School.
Please submit registration paperwork, (preferably printed double sided) including proof of residency, birth certificate and immunization record.
Questions? Email absfrontoffice@cvsdvt.org or call 802-871-6200
Intra-District K-8 School Choice
WCS Employment Opportunity
Williston Families,
We currently have a need for additional staff to help support our students now that we have them all back to 4 days a week of in-person learning at Williston Central. The position will start immediately and run through the end of the school year. The pay rate is $15/hr.
Lunch/Recess Aid: We have several lunch/recess blocks between 10:45 and 1:30 on M, T, Th, F. This position involves being part of a supervision team that oversees the lunch recess periods for each house. Days and times can be flexible depending on your schedule.
If you are interested in this position, please contact Greg Marino, at gmarino@cvsdvt.org
Food Benefit Program for Families
Many families who did not qualify for free and reduced meals last year may qualify this year due to a change in family circumstances. Because meals are free for everyone, you may not have completed the application. In order to get this additional benefit, you will need to apply now.
Families who were qualified last year are automatically enrolled. You do not need to do anything but are being asked to check the 'head of household" name and address so the electronic-benefit-card gets delivered to the right person/house.
Please see this letter for additional information. If you need assistance applying, look for the contact information in the letter or contact your school.
PARKING LOT SAFE DRIVING REMINDER
We are reminding all parents and caregivers who drop off or pick up students to be extra mindful about your driving in the school parking lots. We are asking that all drivers please drive with extreme caution, courtesy, and at slow speeds. We have noticed some dangerous situations pop up as a result of distracted driving or elevated driving speeds. We thank you for your help in keeping all students, staff, and drivers safe.
Four Winds
Hello April Adventurers!
We have a new and exciting lesson for you about plants and animals who use their Daunting Defenses to survive in the wild! Check it out HERE!
There is also a Bonus Spring Scavenger Hunt for you to print it out. See how many items you can find by you!
As the weather continues to get warmer, check out all the Four Winds lessons (if you haven't already)! They are full of fun facts, photos, hands-on activities, games, read alouds, science show episodes, and even the videos of the beloved PUPPET SHOW! Pick and choose the activities that are right for you! There is so much to see in nature around you!
Unit 1: Spiders
Unit 2: Tremendous Trees.
Unit 3: Predators and Prey
Unit 4: Skulls and Teeth
Unit 5: Birds of a Feather
Unit 6: Calling All Owls
Unit 7: Daunting Defenses
Bonus: Spring Scavenger Hunt
The theme for the year is Structure and Function.
Stay tuned for our last Four Winds lesson of the 2020-2021 year featuring Bees in May!
Feel free to email, visit our website, or share your findings and photos on our Padlet.
Be curious!
Deb & Amanda, Your Four Winds Williston Coordinators
ABS - Reminder for Safe Drop Off & Pick Up
We are sending this out again, as we have been getting parent feedback indicating that this routine can at times be a safety concern. Please be sure to do your part during our arrival/dismissal procedures so we can ensure a safe environment.
● Please drop off and pick up your child at their team’s designated location ensuring that you leave space for the other team locations.
● Parents must remain in vehicles for drop-off
● Please arrive between 7:50 and 8:10
● Please drive attentively, slowly, and safely, following directions of school staff
● For safety, all students must exit the passenger side of the vehicle
● Temperature taking will happen once your child enters the school
● Your child must have their mask on when entering the school
Please refer to this map for the correct location to drop off/pick up your student:
School Meals
Please visit the Food Service website for the remote learning days order form and more information.
We are excited to be able to serve your children hot food at school once again as well as continue to offer grab and go and delivery of meals for those students who are learning remotely. CVSD will be able to continue to offer free meals for all children 18 years of age and younger as we start school.
If your student has special dietary requirements please let us know. We will be happy to make reasonable accommodations (prepare a vegetarian version, substitute gluten free grain, bread or crust, soy milk or offer an alternate meal) to make sure they can have something nutritious and delicious to eat.
Four Winds
Unit 7: Daunting Defenses
Bonus: Bonus Spring Scavenger Hunt
Link to Padlet for Uploading Photos
Four Winds website
Monthly Fitness Fun
School Nutrition Program
Please make payment checks out to 'CVSD - ABS' or 'CVSD-WCS'
CVSD School Board
The full board will meet at 6pm Tues., May 4th to take action on deadline oriented items. agenda link
Zoom meeting info: Link: https://cvsdvt-org.zoom.us/j/93057554945 Meeting ID: 930 5755 4945 Passcode: cvsd11 Phone Participation: 1-646-876-9923 Passcode: 080743
CVSD Board committee meetings will follow (May 4) via Zoom:
DAML Programs
Click here to access the DAML web site listing of events.
Recreation & Parks Offerings
More Links, More information
Williston Schools
Email: cpavlik@cvsdvt.org
Website: https://www.cvsdvt.org
Location: 195 Central School Drive, Williston
Phone: (802) 878-2762
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Williston-School-District-1483758238612170/timeline/
Twitter: @wsdvt